This invention relates to a method for providing a surface upon which winter sports may be performed. In particular, the invention relates to preparing a surface for skiing or the like.
Winter sports have become extremely popular in recent years. Unfortunately, the natural surface upon which winter sports are normally performed is available only in the colder months of the year. Further, it is limited to those areas in which snowfall regularly occurs. In the case of skiing, normally the more mountainous regions are the only appropriate ski areas. In recent years, with the advent of cross-country skiing, relatively level areas have been found to be appropriate for skiing. Nevertheless, the skier must wait for adequate snowfall to practice his sport.
Over the years, numerous attempts have been made to provide surfaces upon which skiing, tobagganing or sledding may take place without the normal snowfall. The earliest versions of such artificially produced snow usually involved shaved ice or the like. This method is still in common use even in some ski areas. The general procedure is to provide a large amount of ice, usually in block form, which is shaved and then blown on to a surface. It is immediately evident that the use of shaved ice is limited from a practical standpoint to the colder months of the year. To place shaved ice on a sunny slope in summer months would be economically wasteful. Furthermore, the use of shaved ice in demonstrations which are held within buildings require adequate drainage to channel the melt away from the floor areas of the building.
In more recent years, other surfaces have come into use. One common surface found today is a coarse rug-like surface in which particles are located. These particles may be of a plastic material which provides the skier with the illusion of "corn" snow. In some cases, the particulate matter may be of a slippery material thus enhancing the surface for relatively high speed skiing. A major drawback of surfaces having plastic particulate matter of the like described herein is the accumulation of the particulate matter in the non-used areas. This may be attributable to the light weight or low density of the plastic. For example, on a slope, the particulate matter is carried to the bottom of the slope. After several skiers have used the slope, the particulate matter must be carried up the slope and raked into the surface for continued use. A second drawback is the lack of portability of such a structure. The rug-like surface must be removed and shipped to the new demonstration area while the particulate matter must be gathered and placed in appropriate bags for shipping also. Although these steps are feasible, shipping can become cumbersome. Finally, the particulate matter tends to break down because of its relative softness.
It has been determined that a surface for skiing is more pleasing to the eye if it looks like snow. Thus, the rug or carpet like approach just described, unless made of a white material, suffers an aesthetic drawback since such surfaces generally have a darker color to avoid the necessity of constant cleaning.
Accordingly, this invention overcomes the drawbacks set forth above while providing an aesthetically pleasing surface for the would-be summer skier.